Obama meets Karzai, US troops in surprise Afghan visit

US President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Kabul on Sunday night and met President Hamid Karzai and also spoke to American troops, saying difficult days lie ahead in the bloody eight-year-old war.

The visit, which came three months after he ordered a surge of 30,000 troops, was shrouded in secrecy for security reasons as he landed in darkness after an overnight flight from Washington and flew into the capital from Bagram airfield.

During the meeting, Obama put across the urgency to crack down on corruption, and make a concerted effort in improving the judicial system and governance.

Later addressing about 2500 US forces, Obama said difficult days lie ahead in the 8-year-old war. He also said that there will be "setbacks" but the US will not quit and will prevail.

A top aide of Obama said the talks were aimed at discussing with Karzai a whole range of issues including benchmarks set for the reintegration and reconciliation process, besides underlining the need for cracking down on corruption and cutting the money-flow from drug trafficking which is sustaining the insurgency.

The Afghan president assured Obama that his country "would move forward into the future" to eventually take over its own security.

Karzai thanked Obama for the US intervention in his country and for helping "the rebuilding and reestablishing" of the civilian institutions and his government.

The White House said later than Karzai will come to Washington on May 12 for more talks.

The US and NATO have about 1.21 lakh troops in Afghan which will go up to over 1.5 lakh with the additional 30,000 US troops by August as part of the reworked strategy to stop the Taliban momentum and seek an early end to the war.

Obama's meeting with Karzai comes two weeks after he held a video call with the Afghan leader during which he discussed the war on the Taliban and steps taken towards eliminating corruption.

The White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the Afghan government was informed of Obama?s impending trip on Thursday.

Obama arrived at the Bagram Air Force Base at 7.25 pm local time after 12hr, 46 min nonstop overnight flight from Andrews Air Force Base.

Shortly after landing, he met Gen Stanley McChrystal, the US and NATO Commander in Afghanistan, and Karl Eikenberry, the US Ambassador to Afghanistan. From Bagram Air Force Base, Obama went to the Presidential Palace in Kabul on a copter.

According to a White House pool report, Obama and Karzai emerged from the presidential palace along red carpet to parade grounds in middle of palace complex.

After the respective national anthems were played, the two Presidents stepped down from platform and reviewed troops.

Whole welcoming ceremony lasted about 10 mins.

Soon thereafter the two presidents had one-to-one meeting. Later on Obama was joined by Jones, Eikenberry and the Deputy National Security Advisor, McDonough.

US to deny safe haven to al qaeda, TalibanTalking tough, US President Barack Obama has vowed to deny a safe haven to al-Qaeda and reverse "Taliban's momentum" in Afghanistan, as he asked his counterpart Hamid Karzai to act decisively against corruption on his first visit to the country.

Obama, who made a whirlwind surprise visit to Kabul and met Karzai and American troops stationed there, said his country's aim was to "destroy" and "dismantle" al-Qaeda and its extremist allies in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The President, whose administration has escalated the war in Afghanistan, approving an influx of 30,000 additional American troops, also reiterated his resolve to strengthen the capacity of Afghan forces and the government to enable them take responsibility and gain confidence of their own people.

"We are going to disrupt and dismantle, defeat and destroy al-Qaeda and its extremist allies. That is our mission. And to accomplish that goal, our objectives here in Afghanistan are also clear: We're going to deny al-Qaeda safe haven. We're going to reverse the Taliban's momentum," Obama said in his address to US soldiers at the Bagram airfield.

"We can't uproot extremists and advance security and opportunity unless we succeed on both sides of the border," he said.

He also renewed the US' efforts on the civilian front which would result "in an Afghanistan that is more prosperous, more secure, independent; is not subject to meddling by its neighbours; a transition will be able to occur so that more and more security efforts are made by the Afghans".

Obama said al-Qaeda and their extremist allies were not only a threat to the people of Afghanistan and America, but also a threat to the people all around the world.

During his unannounced trip, Obama also pressed Karzai on the issue of governance, asking him to act decisively against corruption.

The message was conveyed to Karzai and his Cabinet by Obama himself last night during his trip that lasted for a little over five hours.

Addressing a joint press conference with Karzai, Obama reiterated his strong support and commitment for Afghanistan.

"I want to send a strong message that partnership between the US and Afghanistan is going to continue. We have seen already progress with respect to the military campaign against extremism in the region," Obama said in his statement.

Earlier he told the troops that this was the region where perpetrators of 9/11 crime still had their leadership.

"If this region slides backwards, if the Taliban retakes this country and al-Qaeda can operate with impunity, then more American lives will be at stake. The Afghan people will lose their chance at progress and prosperity. And the world will be significantly less secure," he said.

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